The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-01-08
CHINA's CAPITAL.
Some of the Strange Sights to be Seen In
the Streets of Pel<in.

Some OF the Strange Sights to be Seen In
the Streets of Pelsin.
From the walls the city of Pekin
looks its best, in fact quite different
from what it really is. There you are
too far away to see the filthy streets,
the many dogs which 60 about with
torn ears, the pools of stagnant water,
and all the unpleasant sights which it
is impossible to avoid on closer inspec-
ton. You only see here the fine trees
planted in the court-yards of all the
better houses and in the open spaces Of
the Tartar city, the quaint gate towers,
the fine cathedrals. and the dark back
ground of the western hills, behind
which the great red sun dips suddenly.
leaving the cloudless sky still compar-
atively clear and bright notwithstand-
ing his absence. The walls are sixty or
seventy feet high. ending in crcnulat-
ed parapet, and are as broad as an aver
age carriage-way. They are, however
so overgrown with bramble that in some
places it is difficult for two people to
walk abreast on them. The gates are
numerous, and beside each a small
wicket is placed, through which you
pass to get on the top of the walls.
Over the gate is the tower shaped
like three or four immense pigeon
boxes placed one upon the other, and
each smaller than the one below it.
These are rooted with the peculiar Chi
nese tiles such as may be observed in
pictures; long closed-up pipes alternate
with horizontally ribbed tile, aud look
extremely picturesque. The roads out
side Pekin are bad Inside matters are
still worse. In addition to all the
miseries usually attendant on crowded
thoroughfares, one gets jumblcd
up among innumerable camels, ponies,
carts and like impediments to prog
ress, all of which seem bound for
some place in an opposite direction to
which you are going. A Pekin cart is
something to be experienced, and not
merely described, if justice be done to
it, 1t is drawn by Il most respectable
mule, directed by a not very respectable
driver. The arched roof is covered
with dark blue cotton, except in rainy
weather, when oil cloth is used. 1t is
doubtless unnecessary to say that
springs are conspicuous by their alb
seneca remark which would apply
with equal force to most of the remain
ing resources of civilization i'm the city.
A thin, hard mat is spread on the floor,
and on this you squat as best you can.
l tried tailor fashion, but afterward
found it better to sit quite across the
cart, with my back propped up against
one side. The attitude is not very
comfortable, and have not heard
that it is considered graceful, but,
all things considered, it is perhaps the
least Objectionable position. Its draw
backs are experienced when rut IA
foot deep is crossed, or when one of the
flags with which some of the streets are
paved is missing. Two or three feet of u
drop is nothing to the mule or it's
driver, but to the barbarian inside it is
inconvenient. The awning extends for
ward so far as the mules head, and pro-
tects you from the fierce rays of the
sun. When the road is bad the driver
walks, and when it is good-that is,
when it is not excessively bad-he hops
up in front, and shuts you up in ver-
liable Oven.-fntertOr.